I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements in faucet valves of the type in which a separate valve assembly is provided for the hot and cold water supplies and, in particular, to a valve assembly having a stainless steel flow plate which, in part, forms the interior flow chamber to control fluid flow through the faucet thereby substantially reducing manufacturing and replacement costs.
II. Description of the Prior Art
Rotatable faucet valve assemblies are widely utilized to control fluid flow through a faucet. Generally, these assemblies include a valve member rotatably seated within a valve body and connected to the faucet handle by a valve stem extending therefrom. An aperture formed in the bottom of the valve member cooperates with a valve port to regulate the rate and volume of fluid flow. Examples of this type of valve assembly are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,645,493 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,567. Both of these valves serve to reduce the noise of operation of the faucet while eliminating leakage resulting from prolonged use.
Despite the operational advantages of the prior known valve assemblies, each valve member is only capable of being utilized in a specific valve assembly. Since different valve apertures are utilized in different faucet assemblies depending upon the intended function, each valve member has to be specially manufactured thereby substantially increasing tooling and manufacturing costs. Moreover, because the area around the valve aperture is subject to wear leading to eventual leakage, repair of the valve assembly requires replacement of the entire valve member. Finally, the configuration of the valve member, particularly the required interior passage, does not lend itself to efficient manufacture without an unacceptable number of defects.